Pinns Wins Illinois Open

2-time Champion Overtakes Klier On Final 9

July 18, 1985|By Reid Hanley, Chicago Tribune.

BLOOMINGTON, ILL. — Gary Pinns` second Illinois Open championship means a lot more to him than his first--at least $5,000 more.

The 27-year-old PGA Tour pro from Wheaton became the eighth player to win the Illinois Open twice by taking a three-shot victory over Chicago`s Kevin Klier and Woodridge`s Roy Biancalana with a 7-under par 209 for 54 holes at Crestwicke Country Club. Wheaton`s Steve Benson, head pro at Hillcrest, was another shot back in fourth. Dave Erickson of Westchester and Chris Marszalek of Mundelein were next at 214.

Pinns, who was tied with Klier and Biancalana going into the final round, shot a 68 to overtake Klier on the final nine holes. Klier and Biancalana each shot 1-under 71s.

Pinns won the tournament as an amateur in 1978 at Elgin Country Club. Golf is now more than a way to have fun. It`s now the way he makes his living. He missed a chance to make some money last week on the PGA Tour when he missed his Sunday tee time and the field at Crestwicke paid for it.

``When I won as an amateur, I didn`t know what I was doing,`` said Pinns, who traveled to Moline for Thursday`s Quad Cities Open right after getting his check. ``I just had a hot putter that week. Now, I was more determined. I just wanted to do it.

``Getting disqualified (for missing a starting time last week on the PGA Tour) made me more determined. It made me work hard and concentrate. I have a hard time concentrating on a course that is wide open. I just made myself work.``

Pinns, playing with Klier in the final twosome, had a hot putter working this time, too. He trailed Klier by two shots at the turn, when Klier turned in 3-under 33. Pinns won the tournament, his first victory since the 1983 Vermont Open, with his putter and patience.

``There was a Scripture I was thinking about all day that helped me,`` said Pinns. ``I was thinking about doing what I had to do and not think about Kevin. If I thought about Kevin, I don`t think I could have won. I kept my poise and wasn`t worrying about him. I tried not to even watch him. If Kevin shot well and I lost, I was comfortable with that. He played very well.``

Klier bogeyed the par five 11th hole and Pinns drew even with a birdie. In the next five holes, the Wake Forest graduate took just six putts. He made a 20-footer to save par on the narrow par four 12th hole called Hog Alley, made a 15-footer for birdie on the 13th hole, missed a 5-footer for birdie on 14, made a 10-footer for birdie on 15 and a 10-footer on 16 for another birdie.

``Most of them broke over a foot, even the short one broke a foot,``

he said. ``When you make those curlers it`s a little good fortune. It`s good putting, but good fortune.``

Klier didn`t have much good fortune. He saw Pinns stay even on the 12th hole with his 20-footer but the worst was yet to come. On the 148-yard 13th hole, Klier`s ball flew into the cup, but then kicked out 10 feet left. Pinns made his putt and Klier missed.

``That was a bad break for Kevin,`` said Pinns. ``If it hadn`t hit the hole, it probably would have been closer.``

Klier, an assistant pro at Bryn Mawr and publisher of Golf Chicago Style Magazine, also missed a 4-foot putt on the seventh hole. His drive on 18 found a clump of weeds and he made bogey there to fall into a second-place tie.

``I missed a couple of putts,`` said Klier, who won $2,650. ``I had an opportunity to slam the door in his face. Gary is capable of making a run and he did. He made a good run. He made his breaks.

``I really don`t know how I feel. If you would have told me two weeks ago I would have finished second, tied for second with Roy, I would have been elated. But when you are in the driver`s seat and have an opportunity to win and don`t, it puts questions in your mind. It wasn`t that I played poorly, Gary just came on.``

Biancalana made a rush on the back nine but couldn`t catch Pinns. The former East Leyden and LSU golfer turned the front nine even and was three strokes behind Klier and one behind Pinns. Birdies on 12, 15 and 17, offsetting a bogey on 13, kept him in range. A bogey on 18 cost him any shot at Pinns.